Secondhand Rapture
by Sxxt
Summary: It's been a year, a full year since Kirei ran away from her mother, father, brother and her life. But how does a commoner girl end up in one of Japan's finest schools? And, more importantly, how can she afford it?


secondhand rapture

.

_simmering songs never get plain_  
_tinsel dreams, sweet lemonade_

.

She just appears one day (there's whispers everywhere she goes, some people say she's a transfer student, others merely brush off as a scholarship student – mean girls say she's some lost bastard's child who needed an heir).

Truth is, no one bothers to ask. People gossip and spread rumours, but nobody talks to her (not when she smokes those large white cigarettes in-between breaks and she inhales it almost like she needs to it to breath, not when they have to team up in class and she's left alone in her seat by the window). It's hard not to notice her and yet she's always so alone.

She clutches her bag strap (it's worn, but anyone can see it's expensive, or at least it used to be when it was brand new) on her shoulder, her head held high even as people gossip and lie. She never once looks bothered by what they say and isn't even remotely angry.

She's a freaking mystery – and Tamaki Suou is intrigued and curious. And when Tamaki is curious, all hell breaks loose. Takashi would know.

.

Today is the club's outdoor activity day (which mostly means it's the exact same thing, but outside and apparently it makes such a huge difference). Girls from different grades are all gathered, sitting on neat picnics drapes placed on polished grass and talk with too much pep.

Takashi sits next to Mitskuni because – well because he always sits next to Mitsukuni. He's used to it by now: the giggling and gushing and blushing. Girls come to talk to Mitsukuni and to admire him from afar. His mind drifts to the trees and then to the grass as his blonde cousin entertains. He's got a biology assignment due in a week and some algebra to catch up on.

His eyes drift to the cloud of smoke that hovers near them. It smells like death and ash, strong and pungent. His father smoked cigarette when he was younger, he'd recognize the smell everywhere.

"You'd think Ouran would have rules about smoking on campus." A girl with deep black hair says to the right of him – Takashi is curious too, but Ouran is an elite school and elites do whatever they want.

There's a girl sitting under a tree, with a loose bun on her head and a textbook sprawled on her lap. The cancer stick hangs loosely between fingers and there's a cup of coffee sitting next to her. She looks like death, with bags under her eyes and a hollow look that makes Takashi glance twice to make sure she's there.

"Princess…" He turns around, searching for Tamaki – but he's already kneeling in front of the maiden with the dying cigarette in her hands. "Surely, a pretty girl like you should not damage her self with careless practices." And the girl with hollow eyes and death like figure looks… stunned, but only for a minute.

"You're right." She says, taking the last drag of her cigarette and killing it on the heel of her uniform's shoe. "I'm stupid." She adds, gathering up her books and shoving them in her backpack, grabbing her coffee and walking away from the now stunned blonde king.

Takashi wants to believe Tamaki will leave hollow girl alone – but he doesn't.

Of course he doesn't.

.

"Kirei Nakano…" And her name doesn't mean anything to them. She's a 2-B, which means that they never heard of her. She doesn't participate in any clubs or extracurricular activities. She's there, but no one cares. "I have her date of birth and blood type – but besides that there isn't much." Kyoya looks puzzled and nothing good ever comes up with Kyoya looking puzzled. He wants to warm the girl, just like he wanted to warm Haruhi before the madness.

But he doesn't.

.

"Why do you smoke?" Kirei lights her third cigarette from recess and sighs (since when did she become an attraction from pretty boys?) the one on the right with the hair parted left. "Yeah, you know it's not good for you." The one on the left with the hair parted right adds.

"I know." And with that she walks away, not once glancing backwards. Kirei isn't the one to distract pretty rich boys and only a fool would think she would. The twins, however, are intrigued and when the twins are intrigued they'll feed Tamaki's fantasies into his mouth with a little silver spoon.

.

Haruhi doesn't normally talk to people on the train… but most people don't wear the Ouran uniform when they take the train.

"I go to school with you." Haruhi is oblivious and obvious, but even if this isn't a greeting – it's a conversation started. This girl, she'd been seeing her face on large, doubled up screens for two days now (blame Tamaki and his stupid obsession from anything different).

"I figured." The girl says breathlessly, almost like she's surprised someone from Ouran is actually talking to her. No, Haruhi isn't part of the rich bastards – not yet. "With the uniform." She adds, probably because her first comment could have been interpreted as obnoxious.

"You live around here?" Haruhi doesn't want to pry, but she's curious. The brown haired girl with bags under her eyes and an uneasy face nods. It's almost like she doesn't know how to smile.

"Yeah, I get off at this spot. I live close enough." And with that the train shudders to a stop. She tries to smile at Haruhi and it seems sincere enough. The cross-dresser watches her get off the train.

Haruhi doesn't want to be curious, but she is.

.

Tamaki comes up with a plan.

Takashi doesn't want any part of it (even Haruhi comments in favour of the girl, telling them that maybe she just wants to be left alone – pretty girls with hollow eyes are usually like this for a reason).

But Mitsukuni claps his hands and is obviously pleased with prospect so Takashi nods his head at whatever orders Tamaki barks at them all. There's a sinking feeling in his stomach – especially as the whole club corners the girl while she comes out of the bathroom that Saturday after class.

How they don't get arrested for this is a freaking mystery.

.

A/N : This is a very short prologue - I just needed something to get back into the writing groove and I always wanted to write a very twisted Ouran story, where real life somehow catches up to them. Rating might go up and even if it is an OC/Takashi story, it will focus on all the characters. Feedbacks are appreciated as always and welcomed. I want to know if I should continue this. Thanks and cheers!


End file.
